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Francesca Ortega
Francesca Ortega ’20, G’22 wants to help neighbors in her native Miami experience what their neighborhood will look like when it is under water. The city, surrounded by water and built on layers of porous limestone, is already experiencing the effects of rising sea levels due to global climate change. While Miami residents are accustomed to flooding during weather events and high tides, many particularly in immigrant and socioeconomically disadvantaged communities aren’t aware that entire neighborhoods may be underwater by 2050 and aren’t positioned to prepare for rising sea levels that will threaten homes and businesses.
When she was in first grade, Ortega learned about rising sea levels. In high school, she was appointed a Miami-Dade County Youth Commissioner, a position that allowed her to advocate for issues that affect her generation. She then was offered the opportunity to join Columbia University’s Learn+Do+Share lab, where she worked